Apparatus for gauging temperature of gasoline in tank cars



May 1, 1928. 1,668,149

H. B. HICKMA N APPARATUS FOR GAUGING TEMPERATURE OF GASOLINE IN TANK CARS Filed Mar 25. 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 :5 n g N I N VEN TOR.

W BY 35555 @W/QQM W W21? ATTORNEY.

Patented May 1, 1928.

UNITED STATES- RABBI IB. HIGKMAN, OF EASTLAND, TEXAS.

APPARATUS FOR GAUGING TEMPERATURE OF GASOLINE IN TANK CABS.

Application filed March 25, 1926. Serial No. 97,406.

This invention appertains to novel means for the testing and gauging of gasoline and other volatile fluids in tanks and more particularly to novel means for gauging and taking the temperature of gasoline in tank cars after the filling of such cars and preparatory to the unloadin of such cars. a

The primary object o this invention is the provision of novel means for gau ing the height of a liquid in a tank car wit out the necessityof removing thefilling cover of such car and thereby avoid the loss of the vapors collected in the tank and other contingents incident to the removal of such 1 cover. a

A further object of the invention is the provision of novel means for accurately determinin the true temperature of a liquid contained in the center of the tank without 0 necessitating the removal of the said filling cover.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a novel method of gau 'ng the eight of gasoline in a tank car an testing 2 the temperature thereof consisting of the use of a hollow gauge rod and a valve connected with the tank, throu h which the rod is adapted to beinserted, t e point of contact of the rod with the liquid being determined upon the rising of the liquid in the hollow tube by the pressure of the gas in the car and then pushin the rod a relatively great distance into t e gasoline after the gauging thereof and the attaching to said 8!; rod of an auxiliary chamber in which the gasoline is allowed to flow and in which is positioned a suitable thermometer.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a novel apparatus ,for testing the height and temperature of gasoline in tank cars of the above character which embodies merely the use of a valve for connection with the dome of the tank car and a gauge rod attachment and thermometer atu tachment for successive use on all of the tank cars. y i v A still further object of the invention is to provide an improved device of the above character, which will be durable and eflicient so in use, one that will be simple and easy to manufacture and, one which can be placed upon the market at a reasonable cost.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in the novel construction, arrangement and formation of parts,- as will be hereinafter more specifically described,

claimed and illustrated in the accompanyingP drawings, in which drawings:

igure 1 is a vertical section through the upper end of a railroad tank'car and filling dome showing the improved attachment connected therewith engaging the gasoline contained therein.

Figure 2 is a vertical section through the attachment for use in conjunction with the gauge rod for determining the tem erature of the gasoline contained in the ta Figure 3 is a detail horizontal section through said temperature determining means taken on the line 33 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a detail section showin the means of associating the gauge rod wit the valve carried by the tank car.

Figure 5 is a detail section taken on the line 55 of Figure 4.

Referring to the drawings in detail, wherein similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, the letter A generally indicates the usual type of tank car provided with a dome 10 having the usual removable filling cover 11, As stated the car A with the dome 10 and cover 11 are of the usual construction. 1

The letter B generally indicates the improved device for gauglng the soline in the car and C the novel means or testing the temperature of the gasoline in the car for use in conjunction with said gauge means B.

The novel gauge means B comprises" first a valve 15 which is connected b means of a nipple 16 with the cover 11, so t at the valve will have communication with the interior of said tank car A. While I have shown the valve carried by the cover 11, it is to be understood thatthe same can be associated with any other preferred part of the tank car, providing the same is at the upper end thereof. The valve 15 can be of any desired type and includes the rotatable valve plug 17 having the diametrically extending passageway 18 therethrough. Any preferred type of handle can be provided for the valve plug or the outer end of the same can be pro-, vided with a polygonal extension 19 for permitting the engagement thereof by the use of a suitable key or wrench (not shown). It can be seen that when the valve is associated with the cover and the plug is turned so as to close the way through the valve,-that the escape of the vapor which collects in the top of the car will be prevented from escaping from the car. Adapted to be detachably associated with the valve is the novel gauge for the liquid in the said tank car, which includes a gauge rod of hollow construction and the exterior thereof is provided with suitable graduations 21. This hollow graduated rod is slidably associated with a n1 ple 22, which can consist of a'short length of pipe. The nipple 22 is adapted to be threaded into the upper end of the casing I of the valve 15 and associated with the upper end of'said' nipple is a threaded cap 23 for the reception of a. suitable packing 24, which is adapted to be compressed about said gauge rod by the cap to prevent the escape of vars (past the cap and gauge rod. If preerre a plug (not shown) can be detachably connected with the upper end of the valve casing, but the plug is not a necessity, as the valve itself will form a closure for the said tank. Connected with the extreme u per end ofthe an e rod 20 is a'valve 25 w ich can be. of t e g obe t pe for controlling the flow of liquid throug the gauge rod as will be now described.

When it is desired to gauge the height of the liquid in a tank. car, it is merel neces- 88,13 to associate the nipple 22 with t e valve an pull the gauge re 20 to its extreme uppermost position after which the valve p ug 17 is turned so as to aline the way 18 therein with the nipple and the rod is then slip (1 through the way 18 until the rod provided with a globe valve 36 for controlling the flow of the gasoline therethrough. In use of the im roved temperature taking device, the cham er or casing 26 is associated with the valve 25 as described and the gau e rod is connected with the valve 15 as as een brought out above, and the rod is moved to its extreme lowermost position so that the. lower end thereof will be sufiiciently adjacent to the intermediate part of the liquid. The valves 25 and 36 are now open so as to ermit the flow of gasoline through the cham er 26 by the natural pressure of the gas contained in the tank. Gasoline is allowed to flow freely until the reading of the thermometer remains constant after which the readin can be taken. This allows an accurate reading of the temperature from the exterior of the car without the necessity of providing complicated mechanism permanently attached to the car.

From the foregoing description, it can be seen that I have provided an exceptionally simpleiand durable means for detachable association with a tank car for accurately. determin'ing the height of the liquid in the car and the actual tem erature thereof. c

Changes in details ma be made without departing from the spirit or scope of this invention, but:

, What I claim as new is:

1. The combination with a tank, of means for testing the temperature of the liquid in 'the tank including a hollow slide rod adapttouc es the liquid. The point of contact at ed to be inserted in the upper end of said the lower end of the rod with the liquid is found, in view of the fact that as soon as the rod comes in contact with the liquid, the liquid will be forced through the rod by the pressure of the gas in said tank car. The reading of the gauge rod is now taken relative to thecap 23 and the exact height can be determined by subtracting the known distance between the top of the car and the cap. As soon as the liquid starts flowing through the valve 25 the same is shut off so as to prevent all loss from the gasoline.

The novel means C employed for determining the temperature of the liquid in the central part of the tank comprises a chamber or casing 26 havin a depending nipple 27 which is threaded into the valve casing 25. The upper end of the chamber or casing 26 is provided with a detachable cap 28 having a reduced neck 29. This neck 29 is ada ted to receive a. compressible stopper 30 pre erably formed of rubber having an axial way 31. The graduated stem 32 of a thermometer 33 is ada ted to be inserted through said axial way an the bulb 34 is then placed in the chamber or casing 26, as can be readily seen by referrin to Figure 2 of the drawings. The cham er 26 adjacent to the uppiar end thereof is provided' with a latera y extending outlet pipe 35 which-is also tank, and into the liquid contained therein liquid is adapted to mount by the pressure of the gas within said tank, and a thermometer associated with said casing.

3. The combination with a tank car havin a dome, of means for accurately determining the temperature of the liquid in the car from the exterior thereof includin a valve connected with said dome, a hol ow rod slidabl mounted throu h said valve for engaging the liquid in sai tank, a control valve carried b the rod adjacent to the upper end thereo a casing connected with t e upper end of the gauge rod into which the liquid is adapted to be raised by the ressure of the within the tank, an out et pipe carired y said casin adjacent to the up r end thereof, means m controlling the fi d w of liquid through said outlet pipe and a thermometer arranged in said casmg.

4. The combination with a tank car haviipg a dome, a valve connected with the dome, 0

means for determining the temperature of the liquid within the tank embodying a rod slidably mounted through the valve for insertion into said liquid having an axial bore therethr'ough, means for controlling the flow of liquid through the gauge rod, a casing connected with the upper end of said rod having a detachable cap providedwith a reduced neck, a compressible stopper mounted in said neck having an axial way therethrough, a thermometer including a bulb adapted'to be positioned in the casing and a graduated tube arranged in said way of the stopper, and means for permitting the flow of liquid from said casing.

5. The combination with a tank car-having a dome, of means for gauging the liquid in the car and determining the temperature thereof including a valve permanently" connected with said dome, a nipple detachably secured to said valve, a gauge hollow rod slidable through'the nipple and the valve for insertion into the liquld, means for controlling the flow of liquid through the hollow rod, a casing connected with the upper end of the gauge rod, a thermometer in said casingand means for controlling the flow of liquid from said casing.

6. An attachment for gaugin the height of the liquid in the tank and t e tempera? ture thereof includingva nipple for detachable connection with a tank, a graduated hollow rod slidably mounted within said nipple, 'a valve for controlling the flow of the liquid through the hollow rod, a casing connected with the upper end of said rod, a

thermometer in the casing, an outlet pipe communicating with the casing adjacent to the upper end thereof, a valve for controlling the flow of liquid to said outlet pipe.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

- HARRY B. HICKMAN. 

